A Bite Out of Time
by metallicangel22
Summary: In the aftermath of the Final Battle, Hermione is wounded. When she recovers, she finds herself twenty years in the past. With this opportunity, what lengths will she go to to save her friends and family.
1. Prologue

_**The battle of Hogwarts was coming to a close, and although the Light was winning, they had sustained heavy losses. They had lost the Lupins, Fred Weasley, Lavender Brown, Collin Creevey, the list just kept going. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were spread throughout the last remaining fights as they tried to subdue the rest of the Death Eaters. Without support from the Acromantula, Giants, and Dementors, who had all fled after defeat became imminent, these fights didn't last long. **_

_**Hermione had managed to take on two and bind them fairly quickly, but just as she was turning to continue on, she caught Harry's eye, and the look of absolute terror that took over his features had her turning back to the two prisoners on the ground, who, as she looked closer, slumped over. A chill ran up her spine as she noticed that neither were breathing. All of a sudden, the sky and castle disappeared as a black shroud overcame her vision and a sharp searing pain in her left side had her screaming and falling to the ground in convulsions. She had experienced pain before. Just a short while ago while under the Cruciatus curse that was Bellatrix's favorite. But this wasn't the searing hot pain of the torture curse. No, this was the icy bite of a Lethifold. A dark creature that lurks in shadows and is as venomous as a Black Mamba. **_

_**She began writhing on the ground, seizing as the venom spread throughout her veins. She could feel hands on her face and someone calling to her, telling her that everything would be ok. But Hermione new better. She knew that she wouldn't make it out of this fight alive. Slowly, her consciousness began to fade and Hermione knew no more.**_


	2. Chapter 1

Severus Snape had just sit down to breakfast at the Slytherin table. He was late and he had only just made it, having been detained by Potter and his ilk. He thanked his lucky stars that today was a day he had managed to outrun them. Just one more year and he wouldn't have to be bothered by him and his tiresome friends any longer. Severus cringed as he realized that this also included Lily. This summer he would be staying at the castle. It would also be the first summer without Lily. Severus picked at his plate of eggs and bacon, his appetite slipping the more he thought about his lost friend. His only friend.

Forcing himself to take a small bite, he slowly chewed, his head down, his face curtained by his shoulder length black hair. Suddenly, the air was rent with a loud crack and Severus jumped back having found the contents of his plate splashed down the front of his school robes. Looking up at the cause of this disturbance, he found a girl, sprawled across the Slytherin table. She was covered, head to foot, in scratches and bruises. Her clothes were torn and dirtied, but what caught his attention most was the large, still bleeding wound, taking up the left side of her abdomen.

Shaking himself out of his shock, Severus immediately found himself surrounded on all sides by professors. Dumbledore checking her immediately for a pulse.

"Madame Pomphrey," he gently called. The mediwitch quickly came over and began running a series of diagnostic charms over the mysterious girl.

"Will she be alright, Poppy?" Professor Dumbledore asked. Madame Pomphrey was concentrating hard on the spells she was casting, with pursed lips and clenched teeth. At the headmaster's question, she shook her head.

"It's not looking good, Albus. It's a bite," she said, as she next examined the girl's bloodied side. Then the hospital matron paled and her head shot up to meet her boss's eyes.

"Lethifold!" All of the professor's froze at her declaration. Severus himself felt his body lock down once again in shock. Lethifolds were incredibly rare, usually only appearing in times of war where there was a higher chance of a meal. Vampiric shadows taking advantage of the bloodshed by picking off a few people in the heat of battle, sucking them dry. If this girl survived, she'd find herself to be the first in a very long time to do so.

"Albus! How are we to help this girl? There is no one qualified here at Hogwarts to brew the antidote," the matron fretted. Dumbledore ran through the possibilities in his head, as he looked around the hall. Slughorn had left the school that morning to get a head start on his holidays now that classes had let out for the term. His eyes then rested on Severus, and he split into a wide smile.

"Of course! Severus, my boy," the headmaster beamed. "You are a potions prodigy. I know it is asking a lot of you, but do you think you could manage an antidote?"

Severus stared at the headmaster as if he had spontaneously started belting God Save the Queen.

"Professor, I am not a licensed Potions Master," he pointed out. Dumbledore waved off his exclamation.

"Nonsense, Mr. Snape. You'll do marvelously," Dumbledore said waving off his concern. Severus shook his head.

"I don't have the materials, a lab, or the proper text for the recipe."

"All of which can be provided. Please, Mr. Snape! The longer you delay, the less of a chance this girl has." Severus looked from the headmaster to the girl lying haphazardly on the table and nodded.

"All right. May I advise a bezoar for the mean time? It should buy us a few hours," he said.

"Madame Pomphrey will see to it. Follow me. I'll let you into the potions classrooms and Horace's private store so you'll be sure to have everything you need. Severus followed Professor Dumbledore out of the hall, giving breakfast up as a lost cause.

It took Dumbledore half an hour to show Severus the text with the proper recipe and gather the necessary ingredients, and another two to brew the potion. Severus thought that this girl was very lucky that this antidote could be brewed in such a short amount of time. It could mean the difference. He also thought it fortuitous that it was simple enough to brew, even with the headmaster hovering like a hawk.

Finishing the potion and putting it into a clean vial, he made to hand it to the elderly man, but Dumbledore merely shook his head.

"You are to come with me, Mr. Snape. You would like to see if the potion works, yes?"

Severus was completely confident in his brewing abilities, but he didn't like the look in the old headmaster's eyes. It was calculating and cold. This felt like a test, and if he failed, he'd fall out of favor with the headmaster, which in his current state of homelessness, would be a catastrophe. He could do no more than nod his understanding before following the old man out of the dungeons and into the infirmary.

The girl looked even paler than when they had left the great hall, if that were possible. Madame Pomphrey had said that she managed to get her stable before, but her vitals had started dropping again. Severus and Professor Dumbledore stood to one side as the hospital matron poured the dark purple almost black liquid into the girl's mouth, massaging her esophagus to get her to swallow, and cast another round of diagnostic charms.

"She is out of danger and should wake soon, but I don't want her waking to the pain of the bite, so I'm going to keep her unconscious until tomorrow morning, to give the wound time to heal. Professor, I would like to save myself the trouble of calling for you when she does wake, so would you come back around half past seven tomorrow? You was well, Mr. Snape. I'm sure she will feel more comfortable with another around her age in the room."

Both men nodded before leaving the girl to rest. Just outside of the hospital, the wizened headmaster turned to Snape, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You did well, today, Severus. Keep on this tack, and you'll have a bright potions mastery in your future." The cold look was gone from his eyes, but Severus no longer held any allusions that this wasn't a test.

"Yes, sir," he said lowly, before turning on his heel and stalking back to the Slytherin dorms. He couldn't get the girl out of his head. She was much too skinny, and if the dark circles under her eyes were any indication, she hadn't been sleeping well either. Severus only hoped that she could find some manner of peace.

... ... ... ... ...

Hermione opened her eyes to see the all too familiar infirmary. She wondered if Harry and the others were all right, then remembered that Remus and Tonks were gone. As was Fred. Bright and cheerful Fred. George has to be inconsolable. Hermione heard someone clear their throat to her left and turned to see who it was, and immediately froze. Standing there, were two ghosts. They had to be, there was no other explanation for how her former Headmaster and Potions teacher were there.

Then she focused solely on Snape, and nearly fainted. Nearly. He was younger. Exceedingly so. Why, he couldn't have been any older than she was! Hermione didn't relax a single muscle as Dumbledore started speaking.

"Good morning, child." Hermione's eyes, that hadn't moved from Snape's, slowly moved towards the old man, and she felt a long buried resentment and near hatred for the man rise to a near boiling point. She simply nodded, making sure her occlumancy shields were in place.

"May I ask if you know where you are?" Again, she nodded. But didn't say a word.

"Could you tell me?" Dumbledore pressed.

Hermione rolled her eyes and humored him. "Hogwarts infirmary."

Dumbledore hmm'ed and stared at her. Hermione felt her shields being tested and snapped at the old man.

"If you have a question, Dumbledore, ask! Not only is it illegal to probe someone's mind without their knowledge or consent, it is extremely rude."

"So you know me," he stated. Again, Hermione rolled her eyes.

"As if you could go three steps in this world without hearing the name Albus bloody Dumbledore." She noticed Snape's lips twitch as if he were withholding a smile.

"May I ask your name?"

She nodded not offering the answer. She was being obtuse, she knew, but if her gut was telling her to zip it, by god was she going to zip it. Dumbledore gave an exasperated sigh and pushed.

"And it would be?" Hermione studied him. She could feel him to continue to probe her shields and gave a near sub vocal growl, before pushing back on his mind, shoving him away from her shields.

"Mudblood," she tested. She saw Snape violently flinch and Dumbledore frown.

"Surely not," he asked.

"It's what I've been consistently been called for the past eighteen months," she continued.

"What name did your parents' give you? What did your friends' call you?"

Again she studied him, and now Snape, who didn't try to hide his curiosity any more. Once her attention once again focused on her former Headmaster, she decided to lie about her name.

"Prince. Elizabeth Prince," she lied. Dumbledore continued to make a show of telling her who he was and how she came to be in the hospital, but she was only half listening. She had turned her attention back to Snape, who had a look of shock on his face. Looking into his eyes, she gently let her mind enter his to communicate.

**_"Meet me back here in the hospital at midnight. We can talk without the Headmaster interfering."_** Severus stiffened at the intrusion. He hadn't felt her penetrate his walls, nor did he feel her back out. He gave her a near imperceptible nod, just as she turned away, ignoring both him and the Professor. Dumbledore tried to regain her attention, but she wasn't going for it, and eventually, both he and Snape left.

Letting out a breath she had been holding since she first saw the two men enter the infirmary, she thought over Snape's last moments that seemed to have happened only hours ago, and nearly twenty years in the future if her mental calculations were right. It didn't take a lot for her to understand she had somehow ended up twenty years in the past, but it was taking a titanic effort not to freak out over the fact.

This was her chance to save everyone. She'd have to do it discreetly, though. If Dumbledore got a hold of her knowledge, things could go very bad. She didn't trust him if he told her Dec. 25 was Christmas. While on the run with Harry, they did a lot of thinking about Dumbledore and his manipulations. They were positive that he had orchestrated everything beginning in their first year.

Those traps after Fluffy were practically tailored to the trio. Thinking on it, Hermione and Harry had come to the conclusion the Neville was supposed to be with them when they went through the trap door. Neville to help them get past the Devil's Snare. Harry to help them get through the room of keys. All four of them together to take on the troll. Ron's uncanny strategy to get past the chess board. And Hermione's logic for the riddle and the potions.

After second year, they were sure he knew about the horcruxes, and not the little bit he had led them to believe that he knew. He knew everything about Riddle and is soul. Confirmation was the diary itself!

Her and Harry were convinced after third year, that Dumbledore had bred Lupin into a spy. Why else was he the only werewolf to be allowed to attend Hogwarts if the Headmaster had believed that his containment measures were working.

The Trio found Dumbledore's age line during the Triwizard selection to be a joke. Did Dumbledore really believe that would work? There were at least a dozen kids under 17 that had magical cores strong enough to confound the goblet.

They put Sirius's death squarely on his shoulders. Dumbledore knew the type of man Sirius was. Throw in Harry's connection to Voldemort and you have a recipe for disaster.

Having Snape kill him during their sixth year was unexpected, but pointless. Someone's soul was going to be ripped apart by the action, and though Draco was a minor in the Ministry's eyes, he sure as hell was old enough to know the difference between right and wrong. Even started seeing inconsistencies when he and his family were being ostracized among his own comrades.

And that last year, on the run. Who sends a bunch of kids on a hunt for the world's most dangerous objects?! Let alone without telling them how to destroy them. Between their second and sixth year he himself only managed to hunt down one. Yet, somehow, they had managed to find the other five thanks to, as McGonagall put it, sheer dumb luck. Hermione shook her head and settled down and dozed off, waiting for midnight to come so she could speak with Snape and hopefully take his name off of the death list of the final battle.

... ... ... ... ...

Severus was debating whether or not this excursion to the hospital wing in the middle of the night was a wise choice. For all he knew, the little chit could have been taking the mickey. But still, she said her name was Prince. He had to know if they were indeed related. Oh, the possibilities if they were related!

Severus gently opened the door to the Hospital Wing, being careful not to make any noise, as he crept along the aisle lined with bed that led to Elizabeth's cot.

"You don't have to sneak, so much. Madame Pomphrey is pretty much dead to the world until dawn," he heard a soft voice say softly. Severus froze for half a second before giving it all up for naught and swiftly made his way towards the mysterious girl. Rounding the curtain that cordoned her off from the rest of the beds, he stood there and assessed her appearance. She was thin. He'd even go as far as saying she was malnourished, with a head full of nearly unruly curly hair.

"I'm no threat to you," she said in the same soft voice she used earlier, with her hands open in her lap.

"Is your real name Elizabeth Prince?" he asked. Hermione gave him a small sad smile and shook her head. Slowly, so that he could follow her movements she reached for her wand on the bedside table. Keeping her movements slow and deliberate, she cast a muffliato and put up wards against eavesdroppers and the like. Once done, she lowered her wand and looked at Snape.

"No, my name is not Elisabeth Prince. However, I did know that Prince was your mother's maiden name, and certainly get your attention. I hope you don't mind. I really did want to talk to you, and using my real name is out of the question."

"Why? Why did you want to speak with me? Why can't you tell me your real name? Why use **_my_** family's name?" Hermione gave a sigh. This Snape was completely different than what she had been used to. He wasn't completely closed off, and though his face gave away very little emotion, his voice carried it all.

"That is a very hard question to answer," she breathed. "The only one I feel truly comfortable answering immediately is why is it dangerous to use my name. Essentially, it is exceedingly dangerous for people to know who I truly am. The people that are close to me, that is. For it to be known that I am here, now, could put a great many that I care about in the path of death again, and Mister Snape, we just lifted that cloud of darkness, I will not be the one to reintroduce it. I suppose that also answers why I use your family's name…to get your attention." There was a moment of silence as he thought over her words, before he got up the courage to say anything.

"Severus. If you are going to keep my family's name, you might as well call me by a less formal name. You can be my cousin," he said softly. As he looked her over once again he added with a sneer, "a distant cousin."

"Thank you, Severus. As to why I wanted to speak with you, aside from being the first in my age bracket that I've seen in the past thirty-six hours, I can tell that you are a very kind person. Not one to lash out without provocation. You are loyal to those you love and defend them without running head first into an unknown situation. You use your wit to further your ambitions, but not at the expense of those you consider your true friends."

Severus was stunned. How could this girl believe this of him? He had thought that Lily had, that she would even forgive him for his blunder last year, despite being hurt, she would take their long standing friendship into account. He had waited most of the night outside of Gryffindor tower only to have her come down and tell him that she was done with their friendship. It had nearly broken him. He had thought that he had loved Lily. And indeed he does still, but he realized that it was more along the lines of a beloved sister, not someone he would consider carrying on a relationship with. But this girl. Someone he believed didn't even know him, was willing to believe this of him.

"T-thank," he swallowed back a sizable lump in his throat. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Severus," she smiled at him. "I am currently formulating a plan to attend Hogwarts, hopefully for my seventh year. I could use a friend to help me around the place until I get acclimated."

"I would like that very much," he smiled.


	3. Chapter 2

The next morning, Madame Pomphrey told her that she could leave, provided she didn't overstress herself. Hermione thanked the nurse and made her way to the headmaster's office. Reaching the stone gargoyle, Hermione realized she didn't know the password to enter the office. So she just decided to go for broke.

"May I go up to see the Headmaster?" She was surprised to see the gargoyle jump out of the way. "Well alright then." At the top of the stairs, Hermione had raised her hand to knock, only to hear a faint "Enter," before she could. Shaking her head at his seeming omniscience, she walked into the office.

"Hello, Headmaster. I was wondering if I might have a word."

"Of course, Miss. Prince. What would you like to speak about?"

Hermione looked at the grandfatherly face, and longed for the times when she was oblivious to his machinations. Ignorance was bliss. Sweet dangerous bliss. Then she thought of every lie that he had told, every bit of information he had kept quiet and the deaths that were the outcome of such refusal to give information that she was glad for all that she had learned. It had prepared her for the life of war she was doomed live for the rest of her days. Taking a steadying breath and making sure that her mental barriers were as strong as ever, she put her inquiry to the headmaster, giving the story she had prepared.

"I was wondering if I might be allowed to finish my education here at Hogwarts. I've been homeschooled until now, so I don't know what is needed to prove that I am where I need to be magically, but I'm willing to work to prove I am good enough," she said, adding a hint of innocence and uncertainty into her voice.

Dumbledore looked at the girl sitting on the other side of his desk with a calculating look. Judging by her mental barriers and the way she had treated him when he had gone to the hospital wing to gather what information he could from her as to how she had suddenly appeared on the Slytherin table, he knew that she was putting on an act. He did not trust her, and felt certain that if she attended the school, he could keep a necessary eye on her. Make sure that she didn't endanger any of his pupils or his chances of winning this war.

"I see no reason why not, my dear," he beamed at her. "In order to attend Hogwarts with your peers, we will need to contact the Ministry so that you can take your O.W.L.'s. O.W.L.'s are a series of tests that a student takes at the end of their fifth year, and based on the score's you achieve, you are better able to focus your area of study to help with what you would like to do after you graduate. If you would like a week to brush up in the library here at the school, I can set the date for later next week."

Hermione shook her head. "I can do them at your earliest convenience, professor. My mother was most thorough in my magical education." Dumbledore continued to smile and nodded.

"Very well, I shall set them for this coming Friday, three days from now."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Hermione said, as she got up to leave.

"If I may ask, how is it that you managed to find yourself so very wounded in the middle of the Great Hall?" Dumbledore asked before she could leave. Hermione sighed, and sat back down.

"There was a battle. A group of Voldemort's so called minions attacked my home last night, or rather two nights ago now. I lost many I cared about, but I was wounded and sent here via a portkey hidden as a simple bracelet meant to take me to the safest place my mother could conceive, before I found out if anyone else survived. I didn't even consider the possibilities or the dangers of a lethifold before it was too late." Dumbledore raised a suspicious eyebrow at the girl's casual use of the name of a wizard many had feared.

"I am impressed, Miss. Prince. Not many who know of the atrocities of Lord Voldemort would be brave enough to speak his name." Hermione gave an unimpressed snort.

"I'm not afraid of some fake lord. And if his name is truly Voldemort, and if he is truly a pureblood, I'll eat my shoes." Hermione knew the fine line she was walking, but she wanted Dumbledore to know that if she wasn't afraid of Voldemort, she certainly wouldn't be afraid of him.

"Why do you say this? He is at the helm of many pureblooded views," Dumbledore said with both of his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"That doesn't mean a fillip. Do you know any muggle history what so ever? Especially around the time you defeated Gillert Grinelwald in '45?" Dumbledore's face took on a pensive countenance.

"I remember that was the same year a great war had ended in the muggle world."

Hermione nodded. "Indeed. Your use of the word 'great' couldn't have been better. They called it the second Great War. A World War. World War II in point of fact. One man, Adolf Hitler, wanted to create the perfect race. They called themselves Aryans. There were criterion to be a part of this race. Tall, blonde hair, and blue eyes being instant indicators. Homosexuality, Gypsies, and especially a branch of Christianity known as Jews were all persecuted because they were believed to be dirty and below those of Aryan decent. Millions died and countless atrocities were committed in the name of what Hitler was referring to as the Third Reich. Rome's next great and bountiful empire. The greatest part is, Hitler himself came from a Jewish background. He was short, brunette, and had brown eyes. None of this story is new, Headmaster Dumbledore. It's just history repeating itself because A. No one bothered to learn from it, and B. A lonely pathetic man who can't handle rejection of any kind decided since he couldn't find a place to fit in, he would carve himself a place, anyone in the way be damned."

Dumbledore couldn't believe how close to the truth about Voldemort this girl had gotten, all because of muggle history. If she was able to glean this much from her knowledge, she would be too dangerous to just slip through his fingers. She seems to see much from an outside point of view. And then another thought caught him. She is not the only one who knows of muggle history. How many others have figured out this information?

"I wonder, Miss. Prince, if you would be willing to join an organization I have just recently formed, The Order of the Phoenix, dedicated to stopping Voldemort from well, everything." Hermione acted as though she were truly thinking the offer over. She knew that he would want her close. Clueless old fool, she thought. Giving her the in she needed to know exactly where the Order was in tracking Riddle. Hermione gave a wonderfully acted heavy sigh.

"Very well." Then she gave a laugh. "The Allied Forces there to free the miserable masses from an evil dictator," she mused humorlessly. She looked at the Headmaster, who looked at her with a quizzical expression. She shook her head again.

"It's not important. I will join your Order, so long as it doesn't interfere with my studies."

"Then we have an accord, Miss. Prince. I shall meet you on Friday morning in the Entrance Hall so we can go to the ministry for your O.W.L.'s." Hermione once again stood, and gave a short bow in response before leaving.

... ... ... ... ...

Severus lay on his bed thinking about the girl he had visited the night before. He managed to find out that her name was not Prince. But that was pretty much the only answer he had gotten. Instead he just got even more questions.

How did she know that his mother's family's name was Prince? How could she believe such good things about him when the girl he had loved as family since before Hogwarts had eventually given in to the demands of her house? How did she know his Muffliato charm? He was certain the only two people who knew about that charm were him and Lily. Severus let out a deep sigh and rolled out of bed, intending on going to breakfast. There was no way that his chief tormentors would be out of bed as of yet, and even if they were, they had to descend from their tower on the seventh floor.

Just as he was sitting down, a small pigmy owl landed right in front of his plate with a missive in its claws. Unrolling it, he read the neat handwriting, thus:

Meet me on the seventh floor, at the Tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Breakfast is my treat.

Lizzie

It seemed as if he were doomed never to actually eat in the Great Hall ever again. Rising from his seat at the table he made his way towards the seventh floor. Too late, he remembered his earlier thought that James Potter and his minions would alight from that very floor, and just as he was passing the Gryffindor portrait, they and Lily exited.

Hoping to attract as little attention as possible, he flattened himself against the opposing wall, but his luck didn't hold as Black seemed to have an uncanny knack of knowing precisely where he was.

"Looky looky, my friends! Seems little Snivellus can't take a hint," he cooed as he drew his wand. Severus took a deep breath, remembering his previous engagement and closed his eyes, hoping to regain some control. He should have known better than to take his eyes off of an opponent, for next thing he knew, he was once again hanging upside down by his ankles. A cold sneer made its way onto his countenance as the contents of his pockets, his wand, a few sickles, and the note from Lizzie, fell to the floor.

Out of habit, Severus's eyes darted to Lily, but instead of defending him as she had in the past, she merely looked off to the side, as though something out of the window had caught her interest.

"Hey Gents, look at this. Snivelly has got himself a girlfriend! Meet me on the seventh floor," Black mocked. Severus made a grab for the note only for Black to dangle it just out of reach.

"How did you get a girlfriend, Snivelly? Is she blind? Does she weigh four hundred pounds? I bet she's a toad!" Black continued, but just as he was about to push the issue, all six heard a voice echoing from the direction Lily kept staring.

"Put my cousin down," said a deathly quiet voice that sent a shiver down most spines present. Heads whipped to the direction of the voice.

Black, not thinking with the brain that mattered, gave the girl at the end of the hall what he thought was a sexy smirk.

"Well hello there, Kitten. I don't believe I've had the pleasure," he said.

"Oh, but I have, Sirius Black. I have heard a lot about your little group from my cousin," she said as she waved her hand, casting a nonverbal Finite, and causing Severus to fall to the ground. He quickly got up and went to stand with his new cousin.

"The only one he seemed inclined to speak of in any form of a good light is Miss. Evans. For the past six years, he said that I would find a true and lasting friend in her. I see that will never be the case if she stands by and lets others, friends or not, be tormented. I am disappointed. I was so looking forward to meeting the only other person in his life he considered a friend. Come on, Sev. You had questions for me, and I have answers," she said holding out her left hand towards him.

She heard everyone gasp and looked towards the group of five in front of her and Severus. All of their eyes were trained on her arm, and looking down, she remembered why. Having pulled up her sleeves, all six in the hall could see the raised pink scar of mudblood crudely carved into her arm. She gave a snort and a shrug.

"Severus?" she asked again, her hand still held out in offering. As he slowly took her hand, Hermione spun around and made to walk down the corridor.

"Hang on!" She and Severus heard behind her. They turned to see that it was the rat Pettigrew who had stopped them.

"You can't go with him! He's a Death Eater!" Hermione's eyes narrowed at the fat lump of a coward that would be in hiding for twelve years as a rat. Turning to Severus, she asked, "Would you please humor me and show these clueless idiots your left arm? As we all know that the Dark Mark cannot be glamoured away and eats through any type of concealer," she said as Severus pulled his sleeve up to reveal a clean fore arm.

"It is clear to all he is not a Death Eater. However, the Christian muggles have a saying, Mr. Pettigrew, that those who are blameless should cast the first stone. I wonder, though, how blameless you really are. Since we humored you, would you all humor us? These are, after all dark times and we certainly don't want to be associating with someone who is willing to commit such horrid atrocities just to get an ugly tattoo," she sneered at him. The rat paled.

"I don't have to show you anything," he squeaked indignantly as the others began, reluctantly to pull up their sleeves, at the insistence of Lily. Hermione cast a brief glimpse at her best friend's mother and thought that there may be hope in repairing hers and Severus's relationship after all. Guess being called an unfaithful and untrustworthy friend got to her.

"Come on, mate. Humor the harpy, so we can go down to breakfast. We can get Snivellus later," Black said. Hermione acted so fast no one knew what really happened when it was all over. Hermione lunged at the man she once held such respect for and decked him right in the nose.

"Wh-what was that for?!" asked the angry child at her feet.

"Very Slytherin of you, Ms. Evans to try and go the long road by lecturing them about their name calling, however, sometimes a more Gryffindor approach is needed. I punched you, Black, because obviously, words have no effect. Call Severus by any other name other than his given name around me, and you will find yourself in much the same position you are in now."

Turning to Pettigrew, she didn't even bother asking as she strode right up to him, grabbed his left arm in a vise like grip, and yanked his sleeve up, revealing the skull and snake tattoo that marked a follower of Voldemort.

"I suggest you take care of the problem within your own ranks before accusing others, Misters Potter, Black, Lupin, and Ms. Evans. Severus and I shall now bid you good day," she seethed, turning on her heel and marching towards the Room of Requirement, grabbing Severus's hand on the way.

Severus stumbled behind, struggling not to step onto the heels of the girl in front of him. It took every bit of concentration not to run into her when she suddenly stopped. She spun around, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Wait right here," she told him. He did as she bid, but was severely confused when she started pacing in front of the tapestry.

"What are you doing?" he whispered. She shushed him, and continued pacing with an intense look of concentration on her face. Then, out of nowhere, a door started to make itself known in the wall opposite the tapestry. Before he could ask anything, the girl he knew as Elizabeth, grabbed him once again by the shoulders and pushed him into the room, locking the door behind her.

Inside the room, he was surprised to see a comfortable living area, with cream colored carpets and a forest green couch and chairs set in front of a comfortable fire. As Severus took in his surroundings, Hermione began to pace, still seething over how cruel James, Sirius, and Remus, mostly Sirius and James, had been to Severus.

The Sirius in her time had up and admitted that he had been unpleasant to Snape, but to see it firsthand was another thing entirely. She would have liked to become friends with the Marauders, but she wouldn't stand for their cruelty. Regaining her senses and closing her eyes, she took a deep breath to calm herself before turning her attention back to her guest.

"What room is this," he asked, once he had seen that her attention was once again on him.

"This is the Room of Requirement. Also known as the Come and Go Room. Not many people know about it. It only seems to appear if you know how to work it, or you are in serious need of it."`

Severus nodded his understanding. "So," Hermione said with a bright smile. "You, my friend have questions no doubt. Ask away, and I shall be as truthful and thorough as I can be."

"Alright," Severus started hesitantly. "How did you know my mother's family's name was Prince?"

"I first came across the name in a book. Never mind which, I doubt you'll be able to find it. From there I found that your mother, was disinherited and magically forgotten from the wizarding world, by the Princes when she married one, Tobias Snape."

Severus looked pensive for a while. "How did you know about my Muffliato charm?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you had a claim to it. I apologize. The base of the spell, I again learned from a book. However, the original spell made it so someone would only hear a soft buzzing sound. I learned the hard way that that can lead to being caught if you know the signs, than anything else, so I changes the spell, making it so the listener will hear ambient noises, such as birds or wind."

This at least was truth. Hermione did change the spell during the Horcrux hunt, not wanting to alert ambient noise changed depending on environment, be they out doors or in. Severus raised his own eyebrows, impressed at the girl's innovativeness.

"What happened to you?" he asked. It was the one question that had haunted him since she had popped into existance on the Slytherin table. Severus saw the bright light dim significantly from her eyes as she thought on the Final Battle.

"War is coming for the greater part of the Wizarding World. For some, myself included, we are already at war, and believe me Severus, there is no light or dark. No matter what side you fight for, you always see the worst in people. The best you can do, is follow what you feel is right. Not some blood purity bigot hell bent on decimating more than half of the magical world, or a meddling old man, who can't leave things alone when they are better off without him."

"But what happened to you," Severus stressed.

"My parents are dead. Or as good as. I told Dumbledore that I didn't know what happened to them. That's a lie. I erased their memories of me to save them from being targets. Struck out with a couple of friends, but we were caught and as they were held in the cells below, I was tortured. That's how I got my own lovely little mark," she said bitterly, clawing at the word carved into her forearm. "Bellatrix's cruciatus has nothing on that twice damned blade of hers."

Severus's mouth dropped open. Bellatrix Black, now Lestrange, had graduated Hogwarts just last year. That wound looked weeks old if that, meaning that the memories were still very much at the forefront of her mind.

"I'm sorry for bringing up something so horrible," he hurried to apologize. The girl in front of him merely waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.

"There is no need for you to apologize. The only reason I'm telling you this is because I trust you not to go blabbing about my past. That and I feel you need to know if we are to be 'family'," she smiled at him.

"I've been thinking about that. The Headmaster know's my family's name. Er- Prince. Since you introduced yourself to him as such and outed us to the idiot foursome and Lily about us being cousins, I have no problem with us going with that story. I only feel we should iron out a few details. For instance, just how are we related?" Hermione thought it was a very endearing when his head slightly tilted to the side. It's something that he never lost even as an embittered adult.

Hermione thought on it for a time. "I was thinking that my father would be an adopted sibling to your mother. Since the Prince family had disowned your mother for marrying a muggle-."

"How do you know any of this?!" Severus cut in on her. "The knowledge you have is impossible!" Hermione sighed.

"I'm going to need an magical vow before I tell you that. It's not because I don't trust you, but it is the only way to ensure both my safety and yours." Severus looked at her for a long time, trying to discern whether or not she was trying to trap him into something. Slowly, he withdrew his wand and drew it across his hand, making a shallow cut. Blood pooling into the palm of his hand.

"I, Severus Tobias Snape, by my blood and magic, swear not to divulge anything said between the woman known as Elizabeth-,"

"Hermione! My name is Hermione Granger," she interupted him. He nodded, intimating that he heard her.

"Do swear not to divulge anything said between Hermione Granger and myself in this room. So mote it be." There was an unnatural breeze that blew through the room, sealing Severus's vow.

"Alright. As I said, my name is truely Hermione Granger, and I was born September 19, 1979." Severus's eyes got wide at her revelation.


	4. Chapter 3

Friday came quickly for Hermione, as she and Severus all but sequestered themselves in the Room of Requirement during the times Severus wasn't in class. Hermione was certain that she could pass her O.W.L.'s with flying colors, but she was always one to study, just in case there was that one question that would make her falter.

In the mean time, her and Severus were getting closer than she ever thought would be possible. She never imagined that she would be able to get to know her surly Potions Master on a personal level. And she was over the moon about it. The sadness she felt every time she thought about Professor Snape was slowly dissipating as she slowly started drawing him out of the shell losing Lily had put him into.

"I wanted to wish you good luck on your O.W.L.'s," Severus said to her as she was walking out of the Great Hall on friday morning.

"Thank you, Severus," she said gently, before stepping forward and giving him a short embrace. After the first hug that they shared three days previous, Hermione made it her goal to be as affectionate with Severus as he felt comfortable. Merlin knows he hasn't had enough of affection in his life. When she pulled back, he searched through his bag and produced a small handful of sugar quills.

"I thought you might like these for your breaks as you go over what little notes you took. I know you like them," he trailed off. Hermione just smiled gently at him and took them from his outstretched hands, prolonging the contact.

"Thank you. I'll see you at supper and, other than Professor Dumbledore, you'll be the first to know how I do," she smiled as she left. Everyone left in the Great Hall saw a rare site that morning. A small, almost imperseptible curve to Severus Snape's lips.

o0oo0oo0oo0oo0oo0o

"Severus," Snape heard behind him as he made his way to Advanced Potions. He turned to see his former friend, Lily Evans, making her way quickly towards him. He didn't say anything as she stopped not ten feet from him. Only tilted his head slightly to the side to alert her that he was listening.

"I, -er, I wanted to-, to see how you were," she stammered out in little more than a mumble. Severus merely gazed at her for two minutes more before answering.

"I am fine, Miss. Evans. If you will excuse me, I must get to class before I am late," he said evenly with a small bow before turning to leave, trying not to get his hopes up on the possibility of having his friend and sister back. But he knew they could never return to that relationship. It was glaringly obvious after what happened that she simply didn't trust him.

"W-wait!" Lily called. Severus stopped and turned back.

"I wanted to-to," she tightly and heaved a heavy sigh. "I wanted to apologize for the way I've acted. I haven't been a very good friend, letting something you said in a moment of weakness get to me so harshly."

"No...you shouldn't have taken it so personally. But I shouldn't have said it in the first place, regaurdless of circumstance. I hold no ill will towards you, be at ease. Now I really must be getting to my next class. Good evening, Miss. Evans." He said as he turned and started away, not missing the look of hurt on Lily's face.

Honestly, did she expect him to just forget the last year and a half? He wanted her friendship again, but she would have to sort out her priorities when it came to her friends. He had been mourning the loss of his sister for the better part of two years because she had lost faith in him over a moment of weakness. That didn't stop him from feeling remorse over what he said, but she was at fault for the dissolution of thier friendship as well.

Severus weedled the hours by with his classes and studying, waiting for Hermione...Lizzie...he had to think of her as Lizzie or he ran the risk of slipping and call her by her given name; to return from taking her O.W.L.'s. He hoped they weren't too drainingon her. He had no doubt that she was brilliant, but tests had a way of causing one to panic.

Finally supper arrived, and Severus was sitting on pins and needles with impatience as he waited for Lizzie. He was rather surprised at how integral she had become to his life in a rather short amount of also slightly disturbed him, allowing someone to get that close, even if she was from the future and had disclosed everything to assurances did he have that she wouldn't do as Lily had done and turn her back on him should the right situations arise for her to do so.

Severus was so deep in his thoughts, he hadn't realized Lizzie sitting down rather heavily next to him with a satified sigh.

"Well now, that was quite exhausting." When Severus hadn't responded, she waved her hand in front of his face.

"Hello! Severus? Are you still in the land of the living?"

"Huh?" he responded, jerking back to reality. "Lizzie! How did your exams go?" He asked exitedly.

"Well hello there, stranger! They went well. Twelve Outstandings, and above for Charms, because I couldn't resist showing off a little," she smiled.

"What do you mean, showing off?" Severus asked in awe. Even the best student who worked thier arses off only got eight or nine O.W.L.'s. He himself got eight and he hardly ever slept!

Lizzie smirked and, wordlessly, began her wand movements. Shooting out from the tip of her wand, came a brilliant Patronus. An otter, that found contentment playing and swimming around Severus's head.

"Well done, Miss. Prince," came the voice of the Headmaster behind where they were sitting. They both turned to face him, and Lizzie let her Patronus fade with a flick of her wrist. "I have no doubt you will be a credit to any house you are sorted into. I wonder if you would be willing to join me at the front of the Hall so we may get you sorted." He said with a gesture ahead of him.

Lizzie nodded and turned to Severus. "I'll be right back." She said with a smile, and got up to be sorted. Severus felt that she, for obvious reasons to none but him and Lizzie, wisely chose to walk along side the Headmaster and not trusting her back to him by walking in front of him.

"My dear students! Today, we welcome a new student into our midst. Miss Elizabeth Prince is joining us for her last year of schooling. I have just escorted her back to the school from her O.W.L. exams where she recieved no less than twelve Outstandings." Hurried whispers broke out in the Hall at this announcement. Particularly at the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. No doubt they were hoping she would join one of thier houses.

"An incredible number, is it not? She will no doubt do great things in the future. But now it has come down to which house she should be placed in." Drawing his wand, Dumbledore conjured a stool and summoned the sorting hat.

Severus watched as she sat on the stool, and Dumbledore placed the hat on Lizzie's head.

"Ah, Miss. Granger! What a delightful surprise. How is it you managed to find yourself in the past I wonder?" The hat asked as it poured through her memories. "Oh dear, a Lethifold bite. How unfortunate. Well now, where shall I put you this time around?"

"Ravenclaw," she thought.

"Ravenclaw. Are you sure. I see quite a number of plans here, Miss. Granger. Plans that will need cunning and a great deal of subtlety. Are you certain Slytherin wouldn't be a better house for you?"

"I still need to be able to make friends with the Gryffindors, you overstuffed pillowcase! Ravenclaw!" She demanded.

"Very well. Though I see no why I put you in Gryffindor the first time around. So brash. Better be..."

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat bellowed to the hall. The Ravenclaw table burts at the announcement. The applause cut off however, when she moved towards the Slytherin table and sat down next to Severus.


	5. Chapter 4

**_A/N: Alrighty people. I know that those of you who are still around have been waiting for this chapter for the better part of a year...if not more. I know this. Things in my life have been...less than stellar. My husband and I separated, so there's that. On the upside, I will hopefully have more, better, and consistent even updates. Yeah, Yeah, I know. Roll of the eyes in heavy skepticism, but hey. I'm only human. Hope y'all enjoy this very short chapter and I will have more coming soon. Peace, Love, and Pop Rocks!_**

"Miss. Prince," said Professor Dumbledore into the deafening silence. "It is customary for students to sit with their houses upon sorting."

"Did you know Professor, that when Hogwarts was founded, and even though the four founders had their own apprentices, everyone sat together, with no distinction of house. Indeed, something else that might catch your attention about this is that nearly every headmaster never forced the student body to sit with their own houses, and if they did, it was usually only to make it easier for the houses, and if they did, it was usually only to make it easier for the heads of those houses to count and make sure that all of the students were accounted for. It's strange, headmaster, for you are the only headmaster in the past three hundred years or so to demand that students sit with their appointed houses. I'm sure Professors Flitwick and McGonagall can verify my claims."

The whole hall turned to look at the professors in question, and both nodded. Professor Flitwick rather enthusiastically, and Professor McGonagall a little more slowly, As though she didn't want to betray Dumbledore.

"Be that as it may, Miss. Prince, it is your first official day as a student at Hogwarts, and I would have you, first, make friends with those amongst your own house," Dumbledore stated, His voice never wavering from the old grandfatherly tone he always had. But Hermione could feel the compulsion charms behind his words. It was difficult but she was able to fight them off, and press her case.

"But I will have all the time in the world to get to know my fellow Ravenclaws once we retire to our common rooms for the night. I'll only get to spend an hour and a half every day with my friends and Severus if you insist on taking away our ability to socialize during meal times. And I'm sure there is something in the school charter about how much a professor can limit the student body from socializing outside of class times. These are our most impressionable and formative years professor. These are the friendships that will mean the most to us as we get older and the times get darker. Would you, in direct violation of the oath you took upon entering the head office of this most esteemed seat of learning, still force the student body to segregate itself based on house, family, blood, and magical loyalties. Or would you allow the m inds of this generation to expand itself to new frontiers?"

Hermione knew that to the rest of the students and staff, her little show merely sounded like an inspirational speech. But both Hermione and Dumbledore know better. She had backed him into a corner, and possibly ruined his chances at creating a scapegoat out of Slytherin house when this war was to come to an end. Dumbledore himself was not happy, to say the least, and Hermione could see it on his face. He was trying to find a way to salvage the situation, but with the little chit having made this a public matter, he had little choice but to cooperate. He took a newar silent breath to calm himself, and replied to the brazen young woman in front of him.

"Very well, Miss. Prince. You may continue to sit at the Slytherin table. But I am deducting 50 points from Ravenclaw for willful disregaurd your headmaster's order." Dumbledore told Hermione. Hermione gave a sharp nod of her head and then proceeded to ignore the Headmaster. Though neither of them knew that Headmaster Dumbledore's star had fallen ever so slightly amonst the students, who, once they had taken the time to think for themselve, found that Hermione, or Lizzie as they all knew her, was right in the fact that the separation of the houses had gone too far.

Her fellow Ravens were impressed that thier new compatriot knew of the older ways of the students and staff in Hogwarts, having the facts not only confirmed my alumni of the school but thier own private research. The badgers felt pride in Lizzie for her loyalty to what they percieved as her family. The lions, though not happy that she had sided with a snake, were impressed that she went toe to toe with Dumbledore, which even the house of the brave had to admit was pretty gutsy. And the Snakes felt smug. Smug for the same reason the lions felt impressed and smug that someone who was put into the house that favored learning and brains would want to sit with her cousin at the table that favored cunning and ambition


	6. Chapter 5

The first time she had been at Hogwarts, Hermione felt that she had to prove herself worthy of the knowledge she was gaining. What she didn't realize at the time, had only begun to understand during the horcrux hunt, and was smacked into her face during her first few classes her second time attending her classes in the 70's, was that she completely deserved the name, Know-It-All. It had all been reinforced and presented to her in the form of Lily Evans.

Hermione had been looking forward to getting to know Harry's mother. The opportunity she saw to possibly fix her relationship with Severus just happened to present itself in the hallway that morning, and since, though it was very tentative at first, Lily had started to study with Severus and 'Lizzie' in the library. Through that opening, she had been slowly talking and getting to know this era's top lioness. The thing was, seeing Harry's mum waving her hand rediculously in the air when the class was asked a question or just out and out answering without being called on, showed Hermione just how bad she had been during her years, and it made her want to roll her eyes. She thanked her lucky stars it was the second term of the year, and afterwards she'd only have to put up with it for one more.

Hermione already had her plans for the summer set. At least when it came to her personal holiday. Lily had invited her to stay with her family for a week during the summer. The problem was Severus made no effort to hide his feelings of Petunia Evans and her beau known, but after being assured that her sister's 'horrid, fat, unworthy, walrus of a boyfriend' wouldn't cause any problems, Hermione agreed. She didn't want to pass up the chance to spend more time with her "cousin" in any event.

Hermione and Severus had hashed out thier 'familial' relationship. Everyone now knew from both 'Lizzie' and Severus that they were cousins. It was only Lily for the moment that knew that they were cousins, but that the Prince family had blood adopted a magically gifted child once Severus's mother was disowned for marrying a Muggle below her station. As the only people who could have disputed her claim to the Prince line were dead or Eileen Prince herself, who had not had any contact with the magical realm since her marriage to Tobias Snape, Hermione and Severus had no worries that they would be caught in thier lie.

As for the rest of her summer, Hermione planned on renting a small flat in the heart of London so as to discourage those who would persue her into doing anything rash, and hunt the horcruxes that existed in this time. She wasn't going to do anything about them immediately. She planned to do recognisance. Scout out the areas she knew would have horcuxes and find the ones she didn't know about. The ring, locket, and diadem were easy. In fact she planned on just taking the diadem right out of the school as the end of the year approached. It was the cup and the diary that were the hang ups. She didn't know precisely when old Snake Face gave either to his followers, and as both had left Hogwarts some years ago, she wouldn't be able to get to them through those means. Her best hope she figured, was to scout out the residences of both the Malfoys and the Lestranges until she could figure out something more permenant. She didn't relish the idea of the task, even if she wouldn't be going within a hundred feet of either estates wards.

In the meantime, when she wasn't doing her homework for classes or spending time with Severus and Lily, she was looking up exactly how a Lethifold bite landed her in the 1970's. By all accounts, she should have just died. And then the fact that Lethifold was primarily a tropical creature. Her best guess is that someone brought it over after capturing it, and then set it loose. A rather risky and stupid move, and if she had to guess again, she would have to assume that it was done without the knowledge of Voldemort. He was a maniacal murdering megalomaniac, but he was smart. He wouldn't set that thing loose with his entire inner circle and himself fighting on the battlefield with the possibility that it would attack one of them. It took weeks of digging, but she found her answer in a very forgotten book in the back of the library. Unsurprisingly, it was written by Newt Scamander. Hermione had to chuckle and figured it was a little sad that he lived so long before her time. She had a feeling he would either be completely enamored with Luna or find her completely insane. Either way, it would have been a meeting for the ages.

The Lethifold (XXXXX) is a vampiric shroud, most commonly believed to be a cousin to the Dementor. And while it is exceedingly rare to find a Dementor outside of European countries, it is even rarer still to find a Lethifold outside of it's preferred tropical homelands. The most significant find regaurding this creeping cloak of darkness would probably be between Flavius Belby, who discovered just in the nick of time that to fend of a Lethifold would be to cast a Patronus Charm, as he was being attack one night in 1782 during his trip to Papua New Guinea. This led to the natural conclusion that they are of the Dementor family. Or by Jennet Aeren in 1857, when she survived an attack by a Lethifold, but after she healed, found herself nearly four decades in the past. When looking for a solution to her predicament, she found herself among the Maasai People of Africa. In the muggle world, known primarily for thier ability to maintaining large herds of cattle, but in their magical community, they are well known for thier Magizoology knowledge.

Amongst the Maasai, she encountered and elder with a rather remarkable story. A story of a young warrior who had gone out hunting and came back in the body of an old man. He said that he had indeed gone hunting, and came across a rock formation near his home and decided to rest in the shadow to allow the heat of the midday sun to pass. Lulled into a kind of stupification from the sweltering heat he decided to nap. On the cusp of unconsciousness, he suddenly found himself awake, but with the feeling of true suffication. Like someone was laying across his chest, but the only thing he could see was shadow. He said that he felt a sharp pain, much like the one Jennet felt during her attack, and awoke alone. When he stumbled his way back to the village, the people there made sure he was healed and upon awaking once more from fever and madness, discovered that no one in the village was who he remember. Asking the star date too realized the he was at least 18 years into his past. He then left, waiting for the time when his younger self disappeared before returning to the village of his birth. With the help of his tribesmen, they miraculously managed to capture the creature and study it.

As it turned out, the shadow didn't just live off of the flesh of it's victims. The initial bite only prepared the Lethifold for it's true meal. Having the magical and genetic signature of it's victim, it then proceeded to siphon off all of the potential energy of the victim by sending them to the past. Setting the poor souls on a different path of life. Jennet returned to her native Darbyshire, England, and published her findings. This has prompted many to verify such facts, including this humble Magizoologist, but even I must abandon such a feat as not only catching a Lethifold impossible for one wizard, but it is extremely dangerous. Proceed at your own peril.

Hermione sighed. Well that was one mystery solved. Only the rest of the world's worth to figure out. One thing was for certain, she was glad she found this book in the library and didn't check it out. If Dumbledore was keeping track of what she was reading, whe didn't want Madam Pince to alert to him what she had checked out. She was certain that if he found out that she was from the future, that whatever he'd do to her would be on par if not worse than what Voldemort would do to her. At least he had the decency to let you know he was going to be sadistic and torturous about gathering the information. Dumbledore would just hide behind his grandfatherly mask and play so sick twisted game of chess to slowly wring her knowledge from her, seeing as he can't get into her mind to find out that way.

She banished the book back to it's proper shelf. She wasn't going to bother finding a way home. Not only would it be drastically different now, what with her outing Pettegrew and repairing Lily and Severus's freindship, but neither of the cases mentioned in that reference mentioned their ability to return. It even pointed out that the Maasai warrior returned an older man. Giving another sigh, she gathered her things and proceeded to leave the library. On her way out she ran into Severus. Quite literally. He caught her by the tops of her arms as she stumbled back so she didn't fall flat on her butt.

"Liz! There you are. I've been looking for you," he told her. He didn't even bother to release the hold on her. Quite the contrary, his hold merely shift from her arms to her lower back as he guided her away from the library.

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to help me understand what I'm doing wrong with the Ferula Charm."

_**A/N: Hello my dear readers, I told you I would post something relatively soon. I was hoping to make it sooner, but my lovely job being what it is, I've been working obscene hours. BUT! I did to something. Also, because I'm not all that sure I did this even with my other story(s), I do not own Harry Potter. Regrettable, I know, BUT! perhaps it's for he best. Had it actually been mine I would probably in all likelihood never finished it.**_


End file.
